Meditations on the Ponytail

Sally Hershberger stylist Mike Viggue takes the old standard to new heights.

We tend to think of the ponytail as the hairstyle version of a simple button-down shirt — a no-nonsense, throw-it-on staple that always gets the job done. But for Mike Viggue, stylist at Sally Hershberger’s Meatpacking District salon, it’s an opportunity to express individual style and, yes, even sex appeal. “There are evolutions to ponytails as a woman moves through her day,” says Viggue, “and you can think of the pieces that fall down as gestures or expressions.”

We asked Viggue how to turn the humdrum ponytail into a style statement, both before and after a workout. Click through the gallery above for his tips and tricks.

Live in New York? Mike Viggue and his styling team will be offering cuts and blowouts at exclusive rates at Equinox Greenwich Ave. from 8am to 8pm on Thursday, October 20. Email emily.parr@equinox.com for an appointment.